Straight-bar knitting machine



Feb. 24, 1931. w CQRAH 1,793,587

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 28, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 A f 55 \i a i.

a H 56 w 350 I IN VE/V TOR MZZi/Zi rn 60: ah

ATTYJ.

Feb. 24, 1931. w. CORAH 1,793,587

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 28, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR AT Ty-i M'Zltam Col'ah.

Feb. 24, 1931. w. CORAH STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 28, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 l l l l I I L fmfi Feb. 24, 1931. w, CQRAH 1,793,587

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 28 -1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V E)V TOR ll 111mm Corah Feb. 24, 1931. w, co 1,793,587

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 28, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 I N VEN TOR AT TVS.

Willa/n41? (oral Feb. 24, 1931. w. CORAH 1,793,587

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 28, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 57 William Cora 71.

ATTY I Patented Feb. 24, 1931 PATENT orl-"lca WILLIAM CORAH, OF MANSFIELD, ENG- LAND STRAIGHT-BAR KNITTING MACHINE Application filed July 28, 1928, Serial No. 296,042, and in Great Britain January 31, 1928.'

This invention comprises improvements in or relating to straight bar knitting machines and has more particular reference to that class of machine which is adapted for the production of stockings and socks.

Heretofore in this type ofmachine thedisadvantage has existed in that the production of a selvedged heel, i. e. a heel formed from threads other than those forming the instep or foot upper, has only been possible by making a plain unpatterned heel, and the provision of a patterned heel has necessitated the traversing of threads across the full width of the fabric embodying both heel and instep portions and the subsequent cutting up of the fabric at the sides of the instep, thereby leaving unselvedged edges at the lines of cutting.

The principal object of thepresent inven the selection of the heel carrier bars is effected For the purpose of more fully describing the nature of this invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a part-sectionalend elevation of part of a machine in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of a continuation of the lower part of the mechanism shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a further part-sectional end elevation looking in the direction of arrow X in Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the rear part of a machine in accordancewvith this invention.

Figure 5 is a rear elevation on an enlarged scale of stops for use when producing plated patterns in the heel.

Figure 6 is an end elevational view of Figure 5.

Figure 7 illustrates in rear elevation suitable mechanism for traversing the heel car rier bars.

Figure 8 illustrates a portion of stocking fabric which incorporates a pat-terned selvedged heel and instep.

Figure 9 illustrates in part-sectional end elevation selectively operable thread feeding mechanism for producing plated fabrics and incorporating an additional ground thread carrier bar with improved control therefor.

Figure 10 is an enlarged end elevation of thel additional ground thread bar with contro Figure 11 is a plan of part of Figure 10.

In the drawings the invention is'illustrated as applied'to a straight bar rib knitting ma.- chine of the Cottons patents type, but it is to be understood that the invention is equally applicable to other types of straight bar machines for producing either plain or rib fabrics. i

In Figure 1 are shown four main carrier or guide bars 1, 2, 3:4 each of which has a plurality of thread carriers or guides 1a, 2a, 3a 4a through which threads are fed to the needles 5.

These four carrier bars and carriers may be employed for producing what is known as four end striping in the fabric, that is to say, the carriers appertainingto each bar may be adapted to feed threadv of a different colour or nature, and any one of the bars may be selected and traversed at predetermined inter-- vals so as to produce a four colour stripe pattern in the fabric.

To effect this selective operation of themain bars 1 to 4 each of said bars may be provided with a nose guide a, b, 0, d, any one of which is adapted to be engaged by a nose 6. This nose is carried by a plate 7 mounted for vertical reciprocation between slide'ways 8 which slideways carry a horizontal foot 9 adapted for horizontal movement along a fixed slur bar 10 such movement being imparted to the slideways 8 and foot 9 by the cutoma'ry slide bar 10a of the machine through the medium of friction boxes 10?), and said slide bar being traversed by the usual draw lever and link mechanism operated by a cam device at the rear of the machine; Projecting rearwardly from the nose plate 7 is an extension 11 pivotally connected to a hollow rod 12. Working within this hollow rod is a rod 13 provided with a radial pin 14 projecting through a slot 15 in the rod 12. The rod 13 is connected at its lower extremity to a boss 16 mounted to slide upona rod 17 and parallel with this rod is a second rod 18 and these two rods are connected to the ends of a pair of levers 19 fulcrumed at 20 so that they constitute a cradle and allow of horizontal reciprocative motion being imparted to the boss 16 with rod 13 and associated parts along the rod 17.

To impart vertical reciprocative motion to l the rod 13 from the levers 19 in addition to machine main shaft by any convenient means.

It will thus be seen that through the medium of the above-described link and lever mechanism operated from the upstanding lugs or bits 29 on chain 30, the nose 6 is moved up and down to select the bar to be traversed, the height of. the lug 29 determining whlch bar is operated, the traversing of the nose 6 being imparted from the customary slur bar through friction boxes in the usual manner.

Adjustable stops are provided in connection with each bar 1 to 4 for determining the length of traverse thereof, such stops being adjusted through the usual'worm device incorporated at theends of the machine for this purpose.

In the production 0 a stocking or sock on a straight bar knitting machine, and according to the present invention, a stocking blank is produced, such as indicated in Figure 8, having at the lower part of the portion A that is to constitute the leg of the stocking, selvedged heel tabsB and an instep portion C intermediate the heel portion. Upon commencing to knit the selvedged'instep and heel portions employed in machines of this type to limit the extent to which the carrier bars are traversed, are adjusted inwardly to limit the traverse of said bars to the width of the instep portion C. At the same time the heel thread carriers, to be presently described, are moved into operative position and these are employed in producing the heel portions BB simultaneously with the production of that part of the instep portion C which is directly between the portions B.

In the production of a stocking or sock, the carrier bars 1 to 4 are selectively operated as above during the knitting of the leg, and in order to produce a selvedged heel in which the patterning of the leg is continued in unbroken continuity four additional traversable thread carrier bars are provided each of which is provided with a plurality of carriers. These additional carrier bars which will be termed heel bars are shown in the drawings at 31, 32, 33, 34, the carriers 31', 32', 33', 34', depending therefrom between the main carriers 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a as shown in Figure 1.

Each heel carrier bar is advantageously composed of a pair of parallelly disposed rods. the one rod of each pair being situated in front of and lower than the other. The four pairs of rod constituting the heel car rier bars are disposed one below the other in vertical alignment and are supported in their length along the machine within brackets 35,

Fig. 1, fixed to a suitable fixed part 36 of the machine frame. The approximate disposi tion of the heel bars 31 to 34 relatively to the main bars 1 to 4 is shown in Fi ure 1.

When the knitting ofthe leg is completed and the knitting of the heel portions B and instep or foot upper C (Figure 8) is about to commence, the usual worm tackle not illustrated, as being common to the type of machine to which the present invention ap pertains and well known in the art, by which the adjustment of the end stops for the main bars 1 to 4 is effected is operated either auto matically or manually, so as to move said stops inwardly towards each other to produce a comparatively narrow selvedged fabric. portions which constitutes the instep C. At

the same time the heel carriers '31 to 34 (which hitherto have been in an inoperative position) are adjustably fixed on the dual rods of the heel carrier bars 31 to 34 in a manner hereinafter described and, by selectively traversing said barsalso as hereinafter described-selvedged heel portions B are produced on each side of the selvedged instep C.

Each pair of rods constituting one of the dual heel carrier bars has mounted thereon two carriers for each division of the machine, i. e. for each section on which a stocking is knitted, oneof each of said two carriers ap pertaining to the right hand portion and the other to the left hand portion of the heel B. Those carriers appertaining to the right hand portions of the heel, that is to say the right hand side when looking at the front of the machine, are advantageously fixed to the upper or rear rods 31a, 32a, 33a, 34a, of the dual carrier bars 31 to 34, while the left hand carriers are adjustably secured to the lower or front rods of said bars. The fixing of the carriers, that is the securing of the brackets 38 carrying a heel thread carrier toa rod that imparts to it its traversing movements, is conveniently effected by clamping devices 37 which are adjustably secured to the upper or rear rods.31a to 34a by screws 37a, and are spaced apart to the required distance on each carrier bar. Each clamp has a projecting finger or key 37 b which is adapted to be inserted into a slot or keyway 37 formed in a bracket 38' to which is screwed one of the heel thread carriers 31' to 34', said brackets being bored so as to fit on to and span the two rods of each carrier bar as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4 and the arrangement is such that when the finger 37 b is inserted within the slot on thread carrier bracket 38, said bracket and clamp 37 are securely connected together by tightening up a screw 39 on to the inserted finger.

It will be understood that the brackets 38 supporting the thread carriers employed in knitting the right hand heel tab B, Figure 8, are fixed to the rear rods only, such as 31a, 32a, etc., by means of the key members 375' be ing secured to the said brackets by the screws 39. The brackets 38 supporting thread carriers for the left hand heel portion are socured to the rods of the said bars 31,32, etc., but owing to the lugs 53 hereinbefore described, being secured to the rear bars only,

it is necessary for the bracket supporting the thread carriers for the left hand heel tabs to be secured to the rear rods by means of theconnecting members 37 and 38, in order to be traversed whenever the lugs 53' are brought into operative connection with the traversing mechanism.

The means for and method of selecting and traversing the heel carrier bars will now be described.

Extending along the machine at the rear thereof is a bar 40 (Figures 1, 3 and 4, preferably of T section, which bar is adapted to be traversed longitudinally by any approved means. Conveniently this traversing movement is accomplished through the medium of a vertically disposed oscillating lever 41 (Figure 7) pivoted at 41a the upper end of which coacts with a forked lug 42 (Figures 3 and 4) secured to the T bar 40. The oscillating lever 41 is pivoted near its lower end, said end being bifurcated so as to span a three-point cam 43 or other suitably shaped cam, the engagement with the cam being effected by adjustable trucks 44 at the ends of the bifurcations 41d of lever 41. This cam 43 is intermittent- 1y rotated through a clawker 45 and a ratchet wheel 46, the clawker being raised andlowered through any suitable lever mechanism from a suitably situated rotating cam orthe like on the main drive shaft.

On the T bar 40, is mounted a friction box 47 to which is fixed a pair of, spaced upstanding brackets 48 bored to receive and slide upon'a shaft 49 carried by and adapted to rotate within bearings 50 fixed to and projecting up from the frame member 36.

On the shaft 49 between the brackets 48 is mounted a boss 51 with projecting finger 52. This boss with finger is capable .of sliding on the shaft 49 but is held from rotation relatively thereto. The shaft 49 is, however, adapted to be rotated with the object of causingbefore-described pivoted lever 41, T bar 40 I and friction box 47.

Althoughthe bifurcated lugs 53 are only secured to the rear rod of each pair of rods constituting a heel carrier bar, both of said rods are traversed in unison by reason of certain of the threadcarriers which are secured to the front rods being connected to the before-described clamps 37 which are secured to the rear rods.

The requisite rotation of the shaft 49 to swing the finger over into engagement with any one of the lugs 53 and select the heel carrier bar to be traversed is effected simultaneously with the displacement of the before-de-' scribed nose 6 appertaining to the main thread carrier bars 1 to 4', thereby enabling an exactly similar pattern to-be produced in both the instep C and heel portion B. To this end, on an extension of the shaft 20, (Figure 1), which constitutes a pivot for the lever 19 of the mechanism operating the nose 6, is keyed or otherwise fixed an arm 54 to the slotted 'end of which is pivoted the lower end of an upwardly extending rod 55, the upper end of said rod being pivoted to a crank arm 56 secured to the end of shaft 49.

It will be seen, therefore,'that when the shaft 20 is turned in the operation of the main carrier bar selecting means, the shaft 49 is also turned to move the finger 52 into engagement with the selected heel carrier bar to be traversed.

After completing each traverse in either direction, the nose 6 and the finger 52 are moved upwards clear of the nose guides a-d and lugs 53 respectively by means of cam 57, Figs. 1 and 9, on a shaft 58 to which rotary motion is imparted from the machine I'nain shaft, sa d cam coactmg with a cam truck 59 on lever 22 and causing the crank lever 28 to move clear of the links 29 on travelling chain 30. While in this position the chain is shogged or traversed so as to bring fresh links or chain parts 29 to bear on said lever 28 when the cam 57 has rotated to allow the lever 22 again to fall.

The traverse of the main guides or carriers for producing the instep is, as before stated, governed by the new adjustment of the stops which were previouslyin operation in the leg, and the traverse of the heel carriers is determined by bringing into operative position a pair of stops 60 slidably accommodated within guide brackets 61 fixed to the machine frame member 36, said stops when in position being adapted to coact with the brackets 38 of the heel carriers.

\Vhen the heel carriersare not required to operate, i. e. before and after knitting the heel, the stops 60 are drawn rearwardly to an inoperative position, the left hand carriers of the several divisions or sections of the machine frame are released from their clamps 37 and from'the lower rods of the dual heel carrier bars and are slidably displaced to the left along said bars to a position outside the width of each machine section on'which a stocking is being produced. Also the heel carriers operating to produce the right hand heel portions are displaced to the right beyond said machine sections by moving the upper or rear rods to which said carriers are fixed. In this manner the clamps 37 when fixed in the required position for receiving the carriers 'need not be displaced fromsaid position, and the accurate positioning of the carriers is thereby facilitated.

- From the above it will be seen that stockings and socks can be knitted having the pattern of the leg and instep continued in the heel, and at the same time obtaining selvedged edges on both sides of the heel portions B at the positions marked D in Figure 8.

If it is desired to produce plated patterns or effects in the stocking means are incorporated whereby certain of the carrier bars 1 to 4 are adapted to function as ground thread bars and others of said bars are adapted to operate as plating bars. In a convenient arrangement the two lowermost bars 1, 2 comprise the ground thread bars and the two uppermost bars 3, 4 the plating bars, and in such arrangement the nose guides c, d appertaining to the bars 3, 4 are removed so that the nose 6 for selectively traversing the ground thread bars will have no action upon said bars 3, 4. Further, it will be appreciated that links on the chain 30 for moving the nose 6 into line with the bars 3, 4 are dispensed with.

On the plating thread bars 3, 4 at a suitable distance (not less than the full traverse of the bars) longitudinally removed from the nose guides a, b on bars 1, 2, are fixedother nose guides ate, f (Figure 9). These last named guides are adapted to be engaged by a nose 62 pivoted at 63 to a bracket secured to a plating bar 64 and actuated for vertical movement about said pivot 63 by a link 65 which is connected at its lower end to a horizontal rod 66 carried at each end by a forwardly extending lever 67. These levers 67 are carried by another rod 68 parallel to rod 66, which rod 68 is mounted to rotate in brackets or arms 69 anchored to the machine tie bar 70 or other convenient stationary frame member, the rods 66 and 68 with connecting levers 67 constituting a cradle. Movement of the nose 62 about its pivot 63 may be effected from the lever 22 through an upstanding link 71 which is pivoted at its upper end to a short crank arm 72, said arm projecting laterally from and being fixed to the aforesaid rotatable rod 68. In this way both of the noses 6 and 62 are simultaneously operated from the one chain 30 or the like, and moved vertically to an equal extent to engage either of the nose guides a, b, or e, f, respectively. I

The plating bar 64 receives its traversing motion in the customary manner through friction boxes, and traversing motion is imparted to whichever carrier bar 3, 4 the nose 62is in engagement with, and it will be understood that when the cam 57 acts to lift the nose 6 out of engagement with both nose guides a, b, the nose 62 is also lifted clear of the guides e, f.

During the knitting of the upper leg portion of the blank, the ground thread is traversed and knitted across the full width,'wh11e at the commencement and knitting of the instep and heel portions the ground threads carried by the bars 1 and 2 are traversed across the width of the instep portion only, as has been already explained, and the ground threads for the heel tabs, which may be traversed, by either of the bars 31 or 32, are traversed to the extent of the width of the heel tabs in the manner already described. Thus the selvedged heel and instep portions are formed by the groundthreads and the plating threads, the latter connecting the selvedged portions, to be subsequently out, along the lines D, Figure 8, as has been described.

During the knitting of the heel and that part of the instep which is simultaneously produced, the selected plating bars are traversed the whole width of such heel and instep portions B and C, and the plating threads are subsequently out along the inner selvedged edges of the heel portions at the positions D. During the'knitting of the leg the stops governing the traverse of the ground and plating bars 1 to 4 are adjusted simultaneously by the customary worm tackle, and at the commencement of the heel the stops appertaining to the plating bars 3, 4 are raised to an inoperative position so as to have no effect on the traverse of said bars, and the worm are illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. Each stop embodies an upstanding bracket 73 fixed to a convenient part of the machine frame 74v such as the tie bar and having mounted thereon in a vertically slidable manner by pin and slot connection a plate 75, a spring washer 76 serving to hold the plate 75 in its adjusted "position. The sliding of the plate 75 is effected by a knob 77 which projects through the slot 78 in the bracket 73.

' the plates 75 are in their operative position, to coact with the screws 79 and determine the traverse of the bars.

During the knitting of parts of the stocking other than that embodying the heel, the stop plates 75 are.raised so as to move the parts 75a with screws 79 out of the path of the lugs 80, and the original stops for bars 3, 4 adjustable by the end worm tackle are moved down into the operative position. It will be appreciated that the overhanging part 75a of the stop appertaining to the carrier bar 3 must be shaped so as to pass over and be clear of the overhanging part appertaining to bar 4. v

When it is required to knit an odd course or an odd number ofcourses, the noses 6 and 62 after being raised clear of their respective nose guides at one end of'a traversing motion are not lowered into engagement with said guides but return on an idle course without the bars and engage with other nose guides appertaining to other bars at the opposite end of the traverse.

On a straight bar machine of the Cottons patents type as heretofore constructed it is customary, as hereinbefore stated, to produce a plain selvedged heel, and for this purpose a pair of heel carrier bars are employed, which during the production of parts other than that embodying the heel, are displaced longitudinally in opposite directions to move the thread carriers to left and right of the several needle beds and retained from being traversed by locking 'mechanism. When, however, selectively operable heel carrier bars are employed as in the present invention, the existing heel bars are rendered unnecessary and may be removed.

If desired, however, one of said existing heel bars indicated at 81 (Figures 1 and 9 may be retainedand employed as an additional main or striping thread bar or as an additional ground thread bar when produc-' upwards b J o' the toot ed members to have an inter-" ing plated fabrics, the second heel bar being removed from the machine, and where this is done automatic locking means are provided functioning normally to hold said extra bar from movement and to release said bar for being traversed at predetermined times.

In the drawings the additional carrier bar is shown at 81 having carriers 82 connected thereto for feeding the thread to the needles, said bar 81 being connected in the usual manner by friction boxes to the slide bar 10a.

Extending transversely beneath this extra carrier bar 81 at a suitable position in its length is a horizontal arm 83, Figs. 9, 10 and 11, pivoted at one end at 84 to a part of the machine frame, said arm having fixed thereon a pair of toothed members 85 located one on each side of the carrier bar 81. On-this bar are fixed two further toothed members 86, 86a projecting one on each side of the bar and spaced apart longitudinally to a dlstance approximating to the length of traverse to be transmitted to said bar. The teeth on members 86, 86a project downwardly, and normally the arm 83 is pulled a spring 87 so as to cause one looking engagement with one of the members 86, 86a dependent upon which end of its traverse the bar has reached.

Normally the bar 81 with carriers 82 are locked from movement, but when it isreguired to lay an additional thread said look ng means are released by displacing the locking arm 83- down against the pull of spring This movement of the arm can be effecte'd in many ways, such for example as by suitable link and lever mechanism operated by intervals from projections on a travelling chain or the like to pull down the arm and release the carrier bar for traversing and layingthread.

In the arrangement shown in the drawings, the bar 81 is adapted to be brought into operation when all of the ing bars 1 to 4 are inoperatlve and thus produce plain stripes or parts in the fabric in addition to the plated patterns. This may be accomplished by connecting the pivoted locking arm 83 to the centrally pivoted lever 19 by a link 88, said link having an elongated slot 89 along which the pin 90 connected to lever 19 is adapted to slide during the op-' ground and plat- '...T

by reason of the noses 6 and 62 being raised by the cam 57.

During narrowing or fashioning the pivoted locking arm 83 is depressed at the end of each knitted course so as to enable the stops determining the traverse of extra bar 81 to be adjusted by the worm device. To this end a depending finger 91, Fig. 10, is fixed to the usual horizontal spindle 92 located over the needles, which spindle carries the customary narrowing mechanism embodying depending loop-engaging points (not shown) which are shogged step-by-step across the machine and are moved down to engage with and move the end loops inwardly by the lowering of the spindle 92, said spindle being lowered and raised from the usual rocking shaft to which same is connected by arms 92a. Each time the spindle 92 is lowered to transfer the loops, the finger 91 depresses the free end of locking arm" 83 to release the interlocked toothed members.

The bar 92 extends the full width of the machine, and immediately above a number of needles positioned at the extremities of the needle bed in each section of the machine, a number of needle-like points are carried by the rod 92, and when it is desired to shape the goods, the bar 92 is lowered to cause the points to remove the last formed loops from the needles- The needles then move down leaving the loops on the points. The bar 92 is then shogged and the points lowered to transfer the loops carried thereby to other needles, when the said needles rise in their normal operation. This transferring of the loops is repeated at selected courses to im part the desired shape to the goods.

A fixed bracket 93 beneath which the arm 83 passes has an adjustable screw stop 94 which determines the extent to which the arm can rise.

The additional bar 81 may, when knitting the heel, be traversed .to la its thread across both the heel and instep, the thread being subsequently severed between said heel and instep portions.

Figure 8 of the drawings illustrates, by way of example only, a portion of stocking fabric having a pattern composed of four horizontal stripes, but it will be appreciated from the foregoing description that the pattern can be varied by varying the number, relative disposition and relative widths of the stripes and by producing plated patterns. Further, when ribbed fabric is knitted the colour appearing on the front of the ribs is different from that on the front of the wales,

'thus producing a vertical stripe effect.

I claim 1. In a straight bar knitting machine for producing stockings and socks, a plurality of thread carrier bars, thread carriers thereon and means for selectively traversing said bars and carriers for producing ornamental patterned and selvedged leg and foot upper portions in combination with a plurality of additional thread carrier bars with thread carriers thereon and means for selectively producing stockings and socks, a plurality of main thread carrier bars, thread carriers on said bars, means for selectively traversing said bars and carriers at predetermined intervals for the production of ornamental patterned and selvedged leg and foot upper portions, a plurality of additional carrier bars, carriers on said bars, means for selectively operating said additional carrier bars for producing selvedged and ornamental patterned heel portions, and means whereby the selection of the additional or heel carrier bars is effected simultaneously with the, selection of the main carrier bars.

3. In a straight bar knitting machine for producing stockings and socks, a plurality of main thread carrier bars with carriers thereon, means for selectively traversing said bars for the production of selvedgedand ornamental patterned leg and foot upper portions, a plurality of heel thread carrier bars with carriers thereon, means for selectively traversing said heel carrier bars, and means whereby on the completion of theleg and at the commencement of the heel and instep the degree of traverse of thread carriers appertaining to the main carrier bars is adjusted to produce a patterned instep and the thread carriers on the heel carrier bars are caused 'to traverse a predetermined distance on each side of said instep carriers so as to produce ornamental patternedselvedged heel portions.

4. In a straight bar knitting machine for producing stockings and socks, a plurality of main thread carrier bars, thread carriers thereon, means for selectively traversing said main bars and carriers for producing selvedged and ornamental patterned leg and foot upper portions, a plurality of heel thread carrier bars, thread carriers tl1ereon,'a displaceable selector member movable into and out of engagement with a part appertaining to any one of said heel carrier bars, and said displaceable selector member functioning to connect the selected carrier bar to a travel-sable bar through the medium of frictional gripping means.

5. Ina straight bar knitting machine for producing stockings and socks, a plurality of main thread carrier bars, thread carriers thereon, means for selectively traversing said main bars and carriers for producing selvedged and ornamental patterned leg and foot-upper portions, a plurality of heel thread carrier bars, thread carriers thereon, projecting elements on said heel carrier bars, a pivotally displaceable selector member, link bars and said link and lever mechanism being controlled from upstanding elements on a travelling member.

6. In a straight bar knitting machine for producing stockings and socks, a plurality of main thread carrier bars with carriers thereon, means for selectively traversing said bars and carriers for producing selvedged and ornamental patterned leg and foot upper portions, a plurality of heel carrier bars with thread carriers thereon, means for traversing selected of said heel carrier bars for producing selvedged and ornamental patterned heel portions, said heel carrier selecting means comprising a traversable member, a rotatable cam device, pivoted lever mechanismcoacting with said cam device, a bar to which traversing motion is transmitted by said pivoted lever mechanism, and means whereby the traverse of any selected heel carrier bar is effected from said traversing bar.

7. In a strai ht bar knitting machine for producing stocii of main thread carrier bars with carriers thereon, means for selectively traversing said bars and carriers for producin selvedged and ornamental patterned leg an foot upper portions, a plurality of heel carrier bars with thread carriers thereon, means for traversing selected of said heel carrier bars for producing selvedged and ornamental patterned heel portions, said heel carrier selecting means comprising a traversable member, a rotatable cam device, pivoted lever mechanism coacting with said cam device, pawl and ratchet mechanism functioning to transmit intermittent rotation to said cam device, a bar to which traversing motion is transmitted by said pivoted lever mechanism, and means whereby the traverse of any selected heel carrier bar is effected from said traversing bar.

8. In a straight bar knitting machine for producing stockin s and socks, a plurality of main thread carrler bars, thread carriers thereon, means for traversing said carrier bars, means for selecting the bar or bars to be traversed so as to produce an ornamental patterned fabric, adjustable stops for determining the extent of traverse of said bars, a plurality of additional thread carrier bars, thread carriers adjustably and displaceably mounted thereon, said additional bars appertaining only to the production of the heel of the stocking or sock, separate traversing means for said heel carrier bars, means for selecting said heel bars, said selecting means operating in unison with the selecting means for the main bars, adjustable stops 'for determining the traverse of the heel bars to the extent required for feeding thread for producing the heel, and means whereby when the heel carriers are brought into operation ngs and socks, a plurality the stops appertaining to the main carrier bars are adjusted so that the carriers thereon I feed thread for the production of the foot upper only.

9. In a strai ht bar knitting machine for producing stockings and socks, a plurality of main thread carrier bars with carriers thereon, means for selectively traversing said bars and carriers for producing an ornamental patterned leg and foot upper, a plurality of heel thread carrier bars with car riers thereon, means for selectively traversing said heel bars to produce an ornamental patterned selvedged heel, means for feeding to the machine needles additional yarn for plating and means for incorporating the plating yarn in the selvedged heel.

10. In a straight bar knitting machine for producing stockings and socks, a plurality of main thread carrier bars with carriers thereon, means for selectively traversing said bars and carriers for producing an ornamental patterned leg and foot upper, a plurality of heel thread carrier bars with carriers thereon, means for selectively traversing said heel bars to produce an ornamental patterned selvedged heel, means for simultaneously traversing a plurality of thread carrier bars, and means whereby certain of the traversed main carrier bars function as plating thread bars and certain of the remaining main bars and of the heel thread carrier bars function as ground thread bars.

11. In a straight bar knitting machine for producing stockings and socks, the combination of a plurality of main thread carrier bars with carriers thereon, means for selectively traversing the said bars and carriers selvedged ornamental patterned heel por- 'tions and a single operating means governing the selection of both the main carrier bars and the heel carrier bars.

WILLIAM CORAH. 

